How to Become a Massage Therapist in New Jersey

Checked against New Jersey Board of Massage and Bodywork Therapy, Division of Consumer Affairs · Verified 2026-10-17

Exam: Required
Training: Required
Term: 2 years
State fee: $75 application fee plus a $120 initial license fee ($60 if your license is issued in the second year of the biennial renewal period).
Licensed by: New Jersey Board of Massage and Bodywork Therapy, Division of Consumer Affairs

Take the free MBLEx practice test →

Who can apply

You must complete a course of study in massage and bodywork therapy of at least 500 hours, finished no more than five years before you apply.
Your school must be accredited or approved by the NJ Department of Education, the NJ Department of Labor and Workforce Development, the NJ Commission on Higher Education, or an equivalent agency in another state.
You must pass the MBLEx (FSMTB), an NCBTMB exam, or the NCCAOM Asian Bodywork Therapy exam.
You must complete a criminal history background check.
You must hold current CPR, first aid and AED certification from an approved provider.
You must carry professional liability insurance of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence and $3,000,000 aggregate per policy year.
U.S. citizenship is not required, and a Social Security number is not required for licensure.

Step by step

Complete a 500-hour massage and bodywork program at an accredited or approved school, including at least 100 hours of supervised clinical practice.
Pass the MBLEx (or an NCBTMB or NCCAOM Asian Bodywork Therapy exam) and have the scores sent directly to the Board.
Get CPR, first aid and AED certification, and buy professional liability insurance ($1,000,000 per occurrence / $3,000,000 aggregate).
Apply online through the Division of Consumer Affairs licensing system and pay the $75 application fee.
Have your school send your official transcript and the Supervising Faculty Member Certification for your 100 clinical hours directly to the Board.
Complete the Criminal History Certification of Authorization and the fingerprint background check.
Pay the initial license fee ($120, or $60 if licensed in the second year of the biennial period) when the Board approves you. A pending application is not a license to practice.

Official application →

Training and exam

Training: N.J.A.C. 13:37A-2.1 requires at least 500 hours of massage and bodywork study, including at least 90 hours of anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology; ethics and law; theory and practice; electives related to massage; and at least 100 hours of clinical practice on school premises supervised on-site by a faculty member who is licensed (or legally authorized) to practice massage in that state. Hours in one area cannot be counted toward another. One college credit equals 15 hours. The course must be completed no more than five years before you apply.

Exam: You must pass one of: the MBLEx from the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards, an examination offered by NCBTMB, or the NCCAOM Asian Bodywork Therapy examination. Scores must be sent directly to the Board. New Jersey has no separate state exam.

Practice for the MBLEx free — anatomy, kinesiology, pathology, ethics and client assessment →

What it costs in New Jersey

Fixed amounts are set by the state. Items marked “your quote” are priced by private sellers, so enter what you’re quoted.

Application fee$75
Initial license fee ($60 if issued in the second year of the biennial period)$120
Criminal history background check$
MBLEx or other approved exam$
Professional liability insurance$
Biennial renewal fee$120

Estimated total in New Jersey$315Plus 3 items with no state-set price. Add your quotes above to complete the total.

Cost details from the state

Criminal history background check fee.
MBLEx or other exam fee paid to the testing organization.
Professional liability insurance ($1,000,000 per occurrence / $3,000,000 aggregate).
CPR, first aid and AED certification course.
Massage school tuition varies by program.

Keeping your license

Renewal: Licenses renew every two years; the biennial period runs December 1 of even years to November 30 of the next even year. The renewal fee is $120 (late renewal within 30 days adds $50; after 30 days the license is suspended). You must attest to 20 CE hours in the prior biennial period, including at least 2 hours of ethics and 1 hour of New Jersey massage law and rules. At most 6 hours may be online or DVD and at most 3 hours on business practices. If you were licensed in the second year of the period you need 10 hours, including 2 in ethics. You must also attest to current CPR/AED certification and liability insurance.

Good to know in New Jersey

Transferring from another state: The Board issues a license by reciprocity to a person licensed in good standing in a state with substantially equivalent education, training and exam requirements who has practiced massage for at least three of the last five years. You need a background check, license verification from every state, liability insurance, and a New Jersey agent for service of process if you do not live or have an office in New Jersey.

Employer registration: Businesses that employ people to perform massage, or advertise massage services, must register with the Board as massage and bodywork therapist employers ($150) and show liability insurance.

Five-year limit on schooling: A massage course completed more than five years before you apply does not qualify you for licensure by examination (N.J.A.C. 13:37A-2.1(b)).

Extra CE hours carry over: If you complete more CE than required, you may carry up to 18 extra hours into the next biennial period (you must still complete 2 ethics hours in that period). You may not take more than 8 CE hours in one day (N.J.A.C. 13:37A-4.1(e)-(f)).

Inactive status and reinstatement: The Board's fee rule lists a $60 inactive license fee. A license that lapsed and must be reinstated costs a $100 reinstatement fee plus the $120 biennial renewal fee (N.J.A.C. 13:37A-7.1).

Sources

General information, not legal advice. Fees and rules change — confirm with New Jersey Board of Massage and Bodywork Therapy, Division of Consumer Affairs before you apply.